The invention relates to a vehicle steering wheel.
Known vehicle steering wheels comprise a steering wheel body, a gas bag module provided with two or more guide pins, the gas bag module for actuation of a horn being displaceably mounted in an axial direction by means of the guide pins, and at least one multifunctional switch unit for the remote actuation of specific vehicle functions. A majority of such vehicle steering wheels which have been used in the meantime has a so-called floating horn gas bag module. This is a module mounted on the steering wheel body so as to be movable in the axial direction (axial direction means in the direction of the steering shaft), which is displaced for actuation of the horn. Alongside the module, multifunctional switch units are to be found increasingly frequently, which are likewise mounted on the steering wheel body or on the module. As through the actuation of the multifunctional switch a force is exerted onto the switch unit and the latter is arranged close to the module, it must be avoided that with the multifunctional switch actuation, an actuation of the horn occurs inadvertently. Vehicle functions which are operated remotely by the multifunctional switches are, for example, the speedomat, radio, telephone and the like, but not the horn, which is in fact to be triggered by pressing down the module.
The invention provides a vehicle steering wheel in which the multifunctional switch unit and the gas bag module are uncoupled with regard to movement in a simple manner so that an inadvertent actuation of the horn on utilization of the multifunctional switch can be ruled out. This is achieved in a vehicle steering wheel which comprises a steering wheel body and a gas bag module provided with two or more guide pins. The gas bag module, for actuation of a horn, is mounted displaceably in an axial direction by means of the guide pins. The steering wheel further comprises at least one multifunctional switch unit for the remote actuation of specific vehicle functions. The at least one multifunctional switch unit is mounted on the guide pins of the gas bag module so as to be movable in the axial direction independently of, i.e. uncoupled from the gas bag module. Thus, according to the invention the guide pins of the module are themselves used for fastening the multifunctional switch unit, so that the guide pins have a dual function. A positive side-effect here is that the gap between the module and the multifunctional switch unit adjoining it can be kept constant and small. In a vehicle steering wheel according to the invention, therefore, no great structural effort is to be made for the uncoupling of the multifunctional switch unit and the gas bag module.
According to the preferred embodiment, the module and the multifunctional switch unit form a preassembled unit and can, therefore, be fastened as a unit to the steering wheel body, which keeps the positional tolerances small.
The preassembled unit is preferably formed in that the module and the multifunctional switch unit are connected with each other via the guide pins, whereby hitherto required support sheets for the preassembled unit can be completely dispensed with.
If the guide pins are also moved on actuation of the module, the position of the multifunctional switch unit can be established by a spring, so that also a defined friction between the guide pins and the multifunctional switch unit can not lead to the moving of the module or of the multifunctional switch unit, depending on which of the two parts is actuated. The spring is in fact arranged such that it presses the multifunctional switch unit into its mounting position.
For this, the springs are preferably arranged between the module and the multifunctional switch unit, the spring being able to serve, at the same time, for restoring the module after completion of the horn actuation.
An embodiment makes provision that the guide pins are fastened in the module and have a stop provided remotely from the fastening in the gas bag module. Between the module and the stop, the multifunctional switch unit is then displaceably mounted on the guide pins, so that without further structural effort the multifunctional switch unit is prevented from detaching itself from the module when both parts are still forming a preassembled unit, i.e. are not yet fastened to the steering wheel body.
It is also conceivable that bearing bushes are arranged on the guide pins, which bearing bushes are pressed into receptacles in the steering wheel body during mounting the preassembled unit into position, so that bearing bushes do not even have to be mounted in the steering wheel body before the installation of the unit. Preferably, the bearing bushes are pressed into a region of the steering wheel body which is encased in foam, which ensures a defined flexibility of the mounting. The bearing bushes can also be formed by the multifunctional switch unit itself.
Particularly when the bearing bushes are pressed into a foamed region, the entire unit must be prevented from being able to be easily removed again from the steering wheel body. For this, a snap connection can be used between the module and the steering wheel body, which at the same time can serve as an axial stop of the module. This means that the snap connection also defines the stop in the basic position with the horn not being actuated.